Combination horn button and timepiece



Oct. 19, 1937- M. H. HOLLINGSWORTH COMBINATION HORN BUTTON AND TIMEPIECE Filed Sept. 18, 1934 2vShee tsSheet 1 I nvenlor 717.1ZT oi/z'zysw'ar/ M ,4 (10m e y O 1937. M. H. HOLLINGSWORTH 2,095,983

COMBINATION HORN BUTTON AND TIMEPIECE Filed Sept. 18, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor .Efio/izizjawar/ Patented Oct. 19, 1937- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Maurice n. Hollinuworth, Miami, Fla.

Application semi- 1a, 1934, Serial No. 744.580

Sch-inns.

This invention relates to a combination horn button and timepiece, the general object of the invention being to provide a receptacle so arranged on the steering wheel of an automobile that when the receptacle is depressed it will close the circuit to the. horn of the automobile, with a timepiece fitting in the receptacle and hinged thereto in such a manner that the timepiece can be raised and turned to wind the mechanism 9! the timepiece. 1

Another object of the invention is to so form the receptacle that articles can be placed in the same such as powder and a puff.

This invention also consists in certain other 5 features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through a steering wheel showing the invention In these drawings, the numeral l indicates the .hub of the steering wheel which is attached to the steering shaft 2, a part of the column being shown at 3. A recess 4 isi'ormed in the top part of the hub for receiving the member 5 which is formed of rubber or the like and this member is held in the recess by the bent flange 6 oil the ring I attached to the hub. A ring 8=partly overlaps I the ring I and the two rings are held in place by the screws 9, the ring 8 projecting partly over the recess as shown in Figure 1. A receptacle ID has its bottom part fastened to the central portion of the member I by a bolt I l and a ring I 2, of angle- 60 shape in cross section, is carried by the ring 8 and has an upstanding part surrounding the lower portion oi the receptacle so that when the receptacle is depressed the receptacle will contact the ring I! and thus close the circuit to the horn l3 ll through the conductors I4 and II. the conductor I being connected with the ring I! while the conductor L5 is connected with the bolt II. It will of course be understood that when the receptacle is depressed the member 5 will be depressed downwardly and as soon as the pressure is removed from the receptacle the resiliency of the member 5 will raise the parts to the position they occupy in Figure 1 with the receptacle out of contact with the ring l2.

A timepiece or watch is shown at IS and partly ilts within the receptacle Ill. The head oi the winding stem 0! the watch is removed and the outer end of the stem I1 is flattened and perforated to receivethe pin l8 which also passes through holes in the ears I9 formed on the receptacle. That part of the receptacle opposite the hinge is recessed as shown at 20 and a tongue 2| is formed on the receptacle and extends into the recess and acts as latch means by frictionally engaging a part of the watch to hold the same in the position it occupies in Figures 1 and 2.

Thus it will be seen that by raising the watch and turning the same the winding stem I! will be held stationary by the'ears l9 and the hinge pin so that the watch will be wound. The receptacle forms a chamber in which may be placed a powder put! 22 and a cake 23 of powder as shown in Figure 1. I

It will thus be seen that I have provided a combination horn button, timepiece and receptacle for holding various kinds of articles, with means whereby the timepiece can be readily wound by partly raising the same and rotating it and I prefer to make the rear face of the timepiece reflective so that this rear face can be used as a mirror.

The watch can be set by raising the case of the watch and pulling the case toward the operator to place the stem in position to set the hands and then after setting the hands by rotating the case, the case is pushed forward endwise so that the stem is pushed back into the case, the same as in the winding and setting operation of a. pocket watch.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a device of the class described, a receptacle adapted to be attached to parts ot a horn and'means for hinging the timepiece to the receptacle, said means including the winding stem of the timepiece and a hinge pin passing through the outer end of said stem.

2. In a device of the class described, a resilient member forming part of an automobile horn circuit closing ineans, a receptacle attached to said resilient member, a timepiece, means for hinging the timepiece to the receptacle, said hinge means including the winding stem of the timepiece and a hinge pin passing through the outer end or said stem, and latch means for holding the timepiece partly in the receptacle, said receptacle providing "an article holding chamber.

3. In a device of the'class described, a supporting member, a timepiece provided with a winding stem, and a hinge pin passing through the outer end of said stem and through a part of the supporting member for hingedly connecting the timepiece with the supporting member.

4. In a device of the class described, a resilient button, a timepiece partly fitting in the receptacle supporting member, a substantially cup-shaped,

member having an opening in" its bottom through which. said resilient supporting member extends and a third member connected to the upper end of said resilient'supporting member and having a portion located in and spaced from said cupshaped member, whereby said third member can be brought into contact with said cup-shaped member upon either axial movement or radial movement of said third member. k

5. A device of the class described comprising a resilient supporting( member, a receptacle having its bottom closed and its top open, means for connecting the central portion of the bottom of the receptacle to the supporting member, a timepiece acting as a-closure for the receptacle,

latch means for holding the timepiece in position closing the upper end of the receptacle.

MAURICE H. noumaswon'rn.

- means for hinging a side portion of the timepiece to a side portion of the top of the receptacle, and- 

